Tealicious
by xSummonerYunax
Summary: This time the only thing that stands between Cloud and Tifa is Cid...and it all started from a cup of tea. [CloudxTifa]
1. Chapter 1

**Tea-licious**

- - -

Tifa lightly tapped her fingers on the counter out of boredom. Not a single sound resonated throughout the small house except for her movements. If it weren't for the sounds of engines humming outside, she would think Rocket Town was no different from the deserted eerie sectors of Midgar City at this time of the night. It was close to midnight and this was her third time heating up Cid's tea. It was his 'special' batch of tea that had to be made with painstaking effort since he had the uncanny ability to taste a missing ingredient. With a sigh, she got up from her seat and shifted in the darkness until she found the stove. Before she turned on the settings, she poured a cup for herself. The warm steamy liquid helped cleanse her mind from tiny specs of anxiety pricking her every moment or so.

Her eyelids felt heavy and each step she took drained an ounce of energy from her body. This was the last straw. She couldn't wait any longer. Her hands fumbled in the dark until she felt what she was looking for. Pulling out a sheet of paper and pen, she quickly scribbled a note to Cid.

Your tea is made. Help yourself to it! I'm sorry if it's cold, but I can't warm it up anymore. I'm too tired and I'm off to bed. See you in the morning and don't work too hard on the rocket.

_-Tifa _

If she were more alert, she would've been concerned with her sloppy handwriting. At this point, as long as the note was readable, she was satisfied. Finishing the content in the cup, she placed it in the sink and trudged to the guest room in the house. Shera was out of town for a week so she and Cloud decided to keep Cid company. Tifa mostly did the chores and cooking, the jobs that Shera usually accomplished, and Cloud worked on the rocket with Cid. She was about to knock on the mercenary's door when she thought against it. He was probably asleep after a long exhausting day under the hot sun with Cid barking behind his back. Smiling, she shook her head and headed into her room. She didn't even feel herself hit the bed. Sleep got to her first.

- - -

Cloud wiped the trickles of sweat from his forehead as he walked down the paved road that lead to Cid's house. The cool brisk night was definitely a welcome compared to the merciless scorching sun that relentlessly beamed unbearable heat throughout the day. Working on the rocket was already hard enough, but working in the middle of a heat wave was almost impossible. He knew Tifa was worried about both his health and Cid's so he had no choice but to lie to her that he was going to rest early. Cid, being the stubborn one, refused Tifa's request and insisted that he was fine when he was clearly anything but OK.

Out of loyalty to his friend, Cloud felt guilty for abandoning Cid when he needed assistance the most. He was like a family and was always there when Cloud needed him so he decided against resting and snuck out of his room through a small window. Leaving through the entrance would only risk upsetting Tifa. He already learned that lesson quite well when he first tried to evade Aeris on his way to Sector VII.

As soon as he entered the house, he smelled a sweet aroma lingering in the air. Walking slowly so he wouldn't disturb the peace and wake Tifa up, he made his way to the stove and turned off the settings. Reaching for the kettle, he poured himself a cup of tea and sat down at the counter to rest a bit before heading to his room. Even though he was the type to just randomly grab something to quench his thirst, there was something about the tea that made him almost addicted to the content. He wondered what Cid ordered to be put into the brew. For someone who was rough and coarse like the pilot, it was hard to imagine him as a genteel man who would take the chance to sit and drink tea like a civilized person.

From the corner of his eyes, a piece of paper was caught in his peripheral vision. Quickly unfolding the sheet, he read the brief words that seemed to be quickly scribbled by Tifa. His heart jumped a beat when he assumed she knew about his disappearance, but from the note, she didn't appear to be angry at all. She even made him some tea and tried her best to keep it warm until he returned. After finishing the sweet liquid, he looked at the cup and then back at the paper. A tiny smile formed on his lips as he set both items down on the tabletop. Tifa always knew when and how to surprise him. He thought about pouring himself one more cup of the delicious liquid but remembered that Cid would be cussing to no end if he returned later in the night with nothing left in the kettle. Just the thought of his friend screaming strings of curses made him wince.

Instead, he scribbled a reply back to Tifa.

_Tifa,_

_You have no idea how great it is to come home to something so warm and delicious waiting for you. Thanks for making this for me and keeping me in your thoughts. I'll probably be out again before you wake up so I'm already gone if you're reading this right now. I promise we'll spend more time together after the work on the rocket is done._

- - -

Cid had to suppress himself from laughing out loud when he read the note on the table.

"Man…he's a hero and all but he's one stupid kid…" he muttered to himself while puffing another smoke from the cigarette. Cid was starting to feel sorry for Tifa. Cloud kept promising to spend more time with her, but when the time came, he was always too damn shy to do anything about it.

"Let's see…I'm no good with hooking people up…but I gotta give this matchmaking thing a try…" He chewed on the tip of the pen as he thought about what to

write. Cloud's handwriting wasn't the neatest on the Planet so it wasn't hard to imitate him. After quickly reading over the note again, Cid made some new adjustments.

_Tifa,_

_You have no idea how great it is to come home to something so warm and delicious waiting for you. Thanks for making this for me and keeping me in your thoughts. I'll probably be out again before you wake up so I'm already gone if you're reading this right now. I promise we'll spend more time together after the work on the rocket is done._

_If you can, please meet me at Shanghai Inn for lunch tomorrow at noon? I made reservations already. By the way, you looked absolutely gorgeous today…but hey, you look beautiful everyday. Girl, you make me want to melt into a puddle of tea…_

- - -

Tifa's eyes widened as she re-read the reply on the same piece of paper after dusting off the cigarette lint. She dropped her glass of water in alarm and crumpled the sheet against her chest.

Could this be true? Was Cid Highwind falling for her?

- - -

**Author's Notes:**

Here's my first attempt at humor, although I must warn you that it probably won't be very funny. This was originally going to be another one-shot but I want to expand more on the plot so now it's multi-chapter. As usual, it's focused on my favorite couple with a slight twist. Hope you enjoyed the first chapter and please leave a review.


	2. Chapter II

Chapter II 

Even though Rocket Town was a small area, there were still plenty of activities to do. One did not have to worry about being rejected by the society since the populace of Rocket Town was generally eccentric and nice. Simply speaking to one of the denizens of the town could be enough just to amuse one for the day. As an added bonus, one could even walk away with a peculiar item…or an invitation in Cloud's case. On his way to the rocket tower, a sweet looking messenger girl, claiming to be the daughter of the inn owner, stopped him and handed him a white card with flowers imprinted on the cover. He opened the card and read the words again.

_There's a special lunch waiting for you inside Shanghai Inn at noon. We look forward to your arrival._

"Yo, kid. Quit blanking out and pass me the hammer," Cid commanded as he feverishly picked at the nails on the panels with his screwdriver. The only brief break he took was to wipe away the grease and sweat tainting his face and hair. From the corner of his eyes, he spotted Cloud rereading the same line in his card again. "Hey, Strife! Did ya hear me?" he said a bit louder.

"Cid, do you have any idea who could've set up a lunch for me?" His hand aimlessly reached for the tool and passed it over; his eyes never left the card in front of him. This appeared extremely suspicious. No one would randomly set up a lunch meeting with him for the simple pleasure to dine with him. Why would they? He was shy and certainly wasn't the most sociable person on the Planet. Besides, he wasn't too fond of the prices Shanghai Inn listed. Hell, the entire team had to live off canned beans for a week the last time Yuffie mindlessly ordered something from the inn. The price for a salad was enough to feed half the people in the slums!

"Kid, relax. If you're thinking that someone is out to get you, you can forget about it. The only people you know here are Tifa and I. Since I didn't have anything to do with the invitation, maybe it's her," Cid suggested. He had to control his urge to laugh at his genius plan. If everything went accordingly to plan, Cloud and Tifa should be an item by the time they leave. He groaned out loud as he recalled all the troubles he had to go through the previous night to reserve the place for lunch. Since he didn't want to risk Tifa and Cloud hearing him on the phone with the manager of the inn, he had to step out with his PHS to make the phone call. Out of no where, a huge dog attacked him in the middle of the conversation and the only thing he could do to defend himself while holding on to the chat with the manager was throwing a wrench at the stray pup. It was one ferocious beast. He escaped with half his shirt torn and his favorite pair of boots scratched.

But it was small price to pay if it meant helping his best friends.

The big price to pay was 50,000 gils. It was originally 60,000 but after the 'little compromise' they made, the stubborn manager finally gave in to his request.

_Great, now I gotta wash the dishes there for a week and let his daughter 'explore' my rocket. Damn, that little runt is going to mess up everything! Okay Cid, calm down. You're doing a good thing…just…count to 3 and breathe…1…2…---DAMN, SHE'S GONNA MESS UP MY ROCKET, MY HARD WORK!_

"Cid? Hello? Anyone there?" Cloud repeated again. He walked over to the pilot and placed a hand on his shoulder, which caused him to jump in surprise.

"NO, YOU BRAT. YOU MAY NOT ENTER MY ROCKET!" He opened his mouth in shock from his own outburst. The last pathetic segment of the cigarette fell out of his mouth as a tendril of smoke vanished into the air. He stood still for a moment, blinking until he recollected his thoughts. "Ahem, sorry about that. I was just thinking out loud about something. What do you want?"

Cloud retreated back to his position again just to be on the safe side before speaking. "I said, do you really think it might be Tifa who sent this to me?" That thought made him grin and he couldn't help but read the lines all over again. There wasn't a way to confirm if it was really Tifa who initiated the lunch since the words were not handwritten. It was nearly printed and smelled like…ink.

"Kid, stop sniffing the paper or else someone is gonna think we're doing drugs up here."

"Cid, it smells like ink…" Cloud observed, ignoring his friend's last statement.

"Oh help me, Lady Luck…" the pilot wailed as he grabbed the card from the mercenary's hands and ripped it to shreds before letting the wind carry the pieces away. "Of course it smells like ink. It was PRINTED ya dumbass."

"I was kind of hoping that there was going to be a trace of Tifa's sweet scent. I don't know how to describe it, but I can identify it when she's near. It's like wildflowers with a hint of honey and a dash of sugar—"

"Cut it out man. It sounds like you're about to cook her!"

Cloud stopped himself and blushed in embarrassment from being reprimanded for his stupidity. "Oh heh…yeah, I guess you're right."

"By the way, shouldn't you be heading off to somewhere right now? It's past noon."

After glancing at his watch, he jumped up and hastily made his way to the edge of the tower. "I'll see you later Cid. Take a break once in awhile, OK?" his words echoed as he made his way down the ladder.

_Tifa…what do you have in store for me?_

- - -

Tifa nearly lost her breath when she entered the vestibule of the inn. The hall eventually lead to a tiny cozy dining room with a beautiful round table in the middle with two wooden white chairs planted on either side of it. The small room was adorned with multicolored roses that were hung in every corner and snaked through the entire room without a starting or ending point in sight. Pink candlesticks were lit up in the darkest corners to create an intimate atmosphere. A single slender one was set right in the middle of the table with the finest china and glasses Tifa had ever witnessed. Next to the wine glasses was an ice filled bucket with two bottles of expensive champagne just waiting to be opened.

"Enjoy your lunch, Miss! Your companion should be here any minute now." The waitress smiled warmly and left the dazed brunette alone in the room.

_Cid…did ALL OF THIS? What is he thinking? Cid…no way! He would settle for a hotdog or donut…NOT THIS!_

She quickly sat down before she collapsed from shock. Her fingers ran through the silky white tablecloth and the frigid wine bottles. Her mind was racing and a myriad questions pounded her, questions that she couldn't even comprehend. Everything seemed surreal. Why would Cid Highwind plan this for her unless he was…interested.

_No…no way! He knows I love Cloud. Everyone knows! How did this happen?_

She felt her face heat up, not from thinking about Cid, but from the frustration of not being able to make sense of the madness before her. She stole a glance at the menu course and found 'chocolate dipped strawberries' on the list. She absolutely LOVED chocolate dipped strawberries but how did HE know that? The only person who knew what she liked was Cloud because he had to deal with her fastidious eating habits. Just as she stood up she heard her favorite piano piece being played in the room, but there was no radio. Peeking out of the room, she found a well-dressed pianist before a sleek grand piano.

_This is way too creepy. I…have to get out of here!_

She grabbed her jacket and purse and stormed out. Just as she was about to grab the knob, a pang of guilt struck her. It would be unfair to Cid if she just abandoned his lunch date without a single reason why. Turning back, she tapped a young girl around seven or eight, who appeared to be the innkeeper's daughter. Her two blonde braids bobbed up and down as she hurried to assist the customer.

"Hi sweetie. Do you think you can help me with something?"

"Sure, I'll do whatever I can!" the child nodded.

"Okay. If you see a tall man with blonde hair and blue eyes come on, could you tell him I needed to leave because I had to dish out some monsters that washed up on shore." _Yes, I'm sure Cid would put the safety of the town in front of lunch._

"Sure, no problem! Have a good day, Miss…uh…"

"Lockheart," Tifa finished.

"Miss Lockheart," the child repeated. "Don't you worry about a thing! I got everything covered for you!"

Tifa went into her purse and dug out 100 gils. She handed the coins to the girl before stepping out. "Thanks! Here's a tip for you. Buy yourself a toy or something, OK?"

- - -

"Wow…100 gils. I don't even earn this much in a month!"

Just as the girl was admiring her coins, Cloud stepped into the Shanghai Inn, panting and wheezing from the distance he had to run in the burning heat. He was immediately greeted by a sweet tune being played on a piano. Taking a moment to listen to the melody, he realized it was the same song Tifa played when she was younger. In that instant, his fatigue suddenly waned and he grinned widely when he spotted the candle lit room in the corner of the inn.

"Hi, Cloud Strife?" a waiter came over and gestured him over to the dining room. "We've been waiting for your arrival. Come this way, please."

He glanced at the table and saw that there were only two seats. "Uh…thanks. By the way, do you know who will be joining me?"

As the two men entered the room, the innkeeper's daughter burst in front of them.

_Hmm…a tall man, blonde hair, blue eyes…YES. That must be him!_

"Excuse me sir. I have a message for you from Miss. Lockheart," she interrupted.

"What? So Tifa is here?" Cloud cried out excitedly.

"Correction. She WAS here. She said she had to go…uh…" _Uh…what exactly did that lady say again?_ _Umm…_"Uh…I think she said she had to go wash some dishes at a shore?"

"WHAT? Why?" His smile faded only to be replaced by a rather hurt expression.

"She said it was an emergency. She was probably tired of waiting."

"Tired of waiting? This does not make any sense." Cloud checked his watch and found that he was only ten minutes late. _What's going on? I'm ten minutes late and Tifa left to wash dishes…at a SHORE?_

The waiter decided to intervene before the blonde's outburst disturbed any more people customers in the den. "Sir, calm down. This romantic lunch is already paid off so I recommend you take full advantage of it. Please help yourself to the food that will arrive shortly."

Cloud lifelessly fell into his chair with disbelief written all over his face. The two servers left and now he was left alone in a room with gorgeous roses, beautiful candles, an ample amount of champagne he couldn't finish himself, and an empty chair across from him. He thought about pulling out his PHS to contact Tifa but decided against it in the end. She was probably busy…washing dishes. With a sigh, he corked a bottle of champagne and poured a sufficient amount of the sizzling content into his glass.

"YO, WHA YOU MEAN YOU AIN'T GOT A ROOM LEFT. I NEED A ROOM DAMNIT!"

Cloud nearly dropped the glass in alarm when he heard a familiar buff voice shouting at the front desk. He peeked out and saw Barret waving his machine gun in front of the poor owner who appeared to be petrified.

He had to do something fast. Jumping out of his seat, he ran to the desk and pushed his towering friend away from the owner. "Barret! Stop it!"

"Huh?" Wha you doin' here you spiky headed jerk?"

Relief washed over the man at the counter when he saw someone coming to his rescue. He stuttered, "Please Sir! We…we…really don'ttt have…annyyymore rooms…available!"

"Barret. You gotta calm down. I'm sure Cid has another room available in his house. What are you doing here anyway?"

"The mayor of Corel dispatched me here to discuss some crap on forming some alliance. Look, it's all complicated business, k?"

"Okay okay. I got it!" Cloud said calmly as he lead the older man away from the desk and into the dining room. "You hungry?"

Barret glanced around the room with wide eyes several times before returning his gaze back to Cloud. He remained silent for a few seconds, trying to make sense of the enigma before him. Unable to come up with a viable explanation for the strange scheme, he finally gave in and said, "Uh…I am but I dun wanna interrupt yo date wit yo invisible friend. Why yo gotta be so damn spooky all da time?"

"Okay, to make a long story short, I was supposed to have lunch with Tifa. Apparently, she left because she wanted to do wash some dishes and now here I am, all by myself."

He expected Barret to sympathize with him for the predicament he was caught in, but instead, the gunman burst out laughing. Tears were evident in the corner of his eyes as he took a seat to sustain himself from falling over. His laughter rose at a remarkable rate of roaring crescendo, drawing more attention than ever from the other customers in the inn. If that wasn't enough, Barret started pounding his fist on the table, which caused the delicate china to rumble against his weight.

"Hey! What's so funny? Snap out of it!" Cloud cried, getting agitated with each passing second. He had to steady the glasses to prevent them from tipping over due to the pressure flaring angrily away at the table.

"Sorry, ya spikey headed jerk. It's just that…you gotta be one real dumbass if a lady ditches you to wash dishes."

Another wave of pain struck the mercenary. Trying to hide his disappointment with a cheerful façade, he decided to change the subject. Reaching over to grab the bottle of champagne that he was supposed be sharing with Tifa, he poured some for Barret before filling up his own glass again. "So...you like roast beef, salmon, and chocolate dipped strawberries? Because that's what we're having."

Just as Barret was about to answer, two violinists stepped into the room. When they saw two men dining, they exchanged a weird look before shrugging off the awkward image.

"Uh…how about a little classical music?" one of the violinists asked.

"Oh no, we never insisted music—" Cloud started. Before he could finish, the string ensemble already started playing. "Nevermind…" he mumbled under his breath and took glumly took another sip from his glass. This was going to be one long meal.

- - -


	3. Chapter III

Chapter III 

"Hey, Tifa…can I speak to you for a minute?"

A day has passed since the time he was supposed to have lunch with her and all she had been doing since was avoiding him. She would nervously look into his eyes and her body language made it apparent that she was anxious about something, but she never summoned enough courage to tell him what was bothering her. That was the thing he was most annoyed about. He wanted to know what was wrong, what HE was doing wrong, but he was going to get nowhere at this rate.

Just as Tifa was about to say something, the sleepy pilot, who appeared to be grumpier than usual, interrupted her.

"Good morning Cloud, Tifa." Cid muttered as he grabbed a cup of tea from the counter and a muffin with the other hand.

Tifa could've sworn she caught a glare from the corner of Cid's eyes. She didn't know if it was directed towards her or Cloud. She assumed it was the former since she obviously declined his accompaniment at lunch at the last minute. She helplessly stared at the plate in her hand and quickly scrubbed it before putting it back on the rack.

"Excuse me, I have to set up Yuffie's room. She's going to be here any minute. I'll see you two later."

Cloud was astonished at how she completely ignored his question and left the kitchen without a single hint of acknowledgement. He couldn't help but trail his eyes after her form until she was out of sight. There was definitely something going on and it HAD to do with him since they haven't had a decent conversation in two days.

"Oh man, I forgot that brat was coming. Why did we agree to let her stay here again?" _As if I already don't have enough things on my hands…now I gotta guard my precious rocket from ninja puke!_ Cid was indeed in a bad mood. He recalled the moment when he tried to check up on Cloud and Tifa in the Inn, but instead found the idiot with Barret. That was enough to send his blood spiking through the roof of the rocket! He couldn't utter anything that night at all. Barret assumed he was under the influence of a 'silent' spell and insisted to use the gils for the rocket to purchase a dozen echo screens. With the reminder that he still owed the manager of the Inn a whole bunch of gils and had to repay the rest of the debt by washing dishes in the kitchen and allowing the annoying young girl to take a 'little' excursion in his rocket, the only thing Cid could do was menacingly glare at each of his so called 'friends.'

"Because her father kicked her out of Wutai and won't let her back in until she learns her lesson," said Cloud. He really didn't mind Yuffie around. In fact, he hoped the spunky ninja would be able to crack some heavy tension that was lingering around Rocket Town, especially the air of pressure around Tifa. It would also do Tifa some good since she'll be able to have another female to talk to. He really doubted she wanted to speak to any of the males about her problems, especially the way Cid and Barret would react to her statements. "Cid, I wouldn't worry if I were you. She's a grown woman and she can take care of herself. Besides, maybe Tifa will start opening up once Yuffie arrives."

"Okay, Yuffie SAID she got kicked out. When was the last time you trusted her words? And hah…that little brat…a GROWN WOMAN? Strife, you must be kidding me! I KNOW she is after something and it better not be my rocket. Did you even confirm with Godo that his little 'angel' is on her way here?"

"No…" Cloud admitted. "But why should we doubt Yuffie's words? She sounded legit on the phone."

"Man, you can be sooo naïve sometimes, kid. This is YUFFIE we're talking about here. Ya know, the same GROWN WOMAN who stole our materias and the same GROWN WOMAN who keeps puking on my Highwind."

"Look, what does she have to gain by staying with us? She even said she'll do anything she can to help assist us in anyway possible."

"I personally think the best way she can assist us is by getting FAR away from us as possible. Oh man, why couldn't she go to Cosmo Canyon and 'assist' Red XIII or to Nibelheim to 'assist' that weirdo, Vincent? They're the ones who REALLY need help, not me."

Cloud shook his head and left the room. There was no point in arguing with Cid. He had to be one of the most stubborn people he had ever gotten the pleasure of knowing…besides Barret that is. The mercenary thought about what to do next. The house was somewhat quiet…almost a little too quiet considering that there were two brawling men living under the same roof….

- - -

"So, 'dis means you can come, RIGHT?" Barret's voice was straining from speaking incredibly low. In his vocabulary, the word 'whisper' never existed. Things always had to be his way or no way and he usually got his way by threatening people with his machine gun and screaming until they finally gave in to his demands.

"Yes, geez. I'm on my way here now. You DO remember the deal right? In exchange for helping Cloud and Tifa get together, you're going to give me loads of gils and materias, correct?" the voice on the other line inquired.

"Grr! Yes, just git your skinny ass here pronto! Geez, if I have to go another day listening to that spikey headed ass talk about how Tifa is ignoring him 'cuz he's a dumbass, I'm gonna have to shut myself up permanently with my gun arm!" Sensing that there was someone else making an entrance, he quickly concluded the conversation. "Godspeed, Yuffie! I gotta get off now. Later."

"Who was that?" Cloud questioned casually as he entered the gunman's room and took a seat on an empty chair. He mindlessly flipped through a few pages in a newspaper until Barret diverted his attention away from the phone and towards him.

"Ah no one. No one at all," Barret mumbled nervously. His last few words were sincerely for Yuffie's ears only and if Cloud heard it, his plan was surely over before it even initiated. "Uh…it was just someone from Corel calling to check up on me. Yep…"

"Well…okay, if you say so." Cloud wasn't exactly convinced, but he figured he'd just be wasting his time if he tried talking Barret into spitting out the truth.

"So uh…where's Cid?" Barret quickly changed the subject before Cloud started questioning him further.

"I think he said something about washing dishes. I just don't get it!" He stood up from his seat and threw the newspaper roughly on the table. "What is this? I want to know what IS so fascinating about washing dishes! First Tifa and now Cid! Can someone please tell me what is going on here?"

"Look, I got no idea what all this funny business is about either so don't ya look at me! However, I do got a surprise for ya'll."

"Surprise? What kind of surprise?"

Digging into his pockets, Barret pulled out a few bright ticket stubs. He handed one of them to Cloud before putting the rest away in his pocket.

"A night at Gold Saucer?" Cloud read the headlines of his stub. He shot his friend a quizzical glance before flipping over the ticket to continue reading the rest of the content. "All events will be opened to you if you show this ticket upon your entry."

"Yeah, Marlene and some friends cancelled their trip so…hah, I took 'em all! I figure it'll do us some good to relax."

"Relax at Gold Saucer? I'm not too sure about that…" Cloud vividly recalled the last time he was at Gold Saucer. He was actually enjoying himself with Tifa until Cait Sith ruined the moment by stealing the keystone. Everything went downhill after that. He tried shoving the last bit of memory into the recess of his mind before the image of the deceased flower girl appeared. "Look, thanks but I'm not even sure everyone is up for it. Cid is busy with the rocket, I have to assist him, Tifa and Yuffie will probably do some catching up, and you're on a business trip from Corel. When are we going to have time to go?"

"Hey pal! Getting those tickets ain't easy! We're goin' and that's final. Got it?" Barret's menacing glare was enough to subside Cloud's irrational side to argue back.

"Fine, but I'm not making any promises. Besides, when were YOU ever interested in going to an amusement park? I don't remember you having much fun the last time we were there."

"Well, that was different ya know. We weren't there 'fo play! We were there on a mission!"

"Hey, did I hear something about Gold Saucer?" a female voice called from the hall.

Cloud turned around and was surprised to find Tifa leaning against the door with a warm smile gracing her lips. "Hey Tifa, come on in."

Nodding, she made her way into the room and politely greeted each man before peering over Cloud's shoulders. "Hey, is that what you guys are talking about?"

"Yeah, take a look at this." Cloud handed her the ticket and watched her read the words softly to herself. He knew he was staring, but he couldn't free himself from the trance he was placed under. Tifa mesmerized him and it has been two days since she had spoken more than a sentence to him. He tried to find a sign by studying her body language and facial features, but there was nothing out of the ordinary about her. He really didn't understand her sometimes. One minute she could be completely sweet and warm while another minute she could be dismissive and ignorant. What was going on?

"Hey, this looks like fun! Cloud, wanna go?" Her eyes lit up as her cheeks slightly flushed from asking. It sounded as if she was asking him out on a date…as if once wasn't embarrassing enough.

"Well, I don't know 'bout that Teef. Spikey here was just sayin how we were all busy and—"

"I would LOVE to go, Tifa!" Cloud injected. He shot Barret a dirty look before facing Tifa again. "I mean…that is if you aren't too busy. I think it's going to be fun, right?"

"Of course! You know…this might be a good chance for us to spend some time together since we haven't really seen each other a lot, huh?" She nervously laughed as she tucked a strand of chocolate lock behind her ear. She honestly didn't mind everyone going to Gold Saucer, but then the possibility that Cid may attend suddenly generated in her head.

"Yeah…about that. I wanted to ask you how come you weren't there at lun--"

Tifa immediately jumped when she caught a glimpse of oil-tainted clothes. The putrid smell of gasoline and machine grease filled the tiny room; it was the perfect indication that Cid had entered.

"Hey, what's going on everyone? Why are we all in here yappin?"

The brunette tried her best to avoid the pilot's gaze. Instead, she fished for an excuse to leave the room. "Umm…I gotta make some last minute preparations for Yuffie's arrival. Please excuse me. Good night!" She quickly respectfully bowed to the members in the room and disappeared into the dark hall.

"Did you see that? She just ignored me again!" Cloud threw his arms in exasperation and collapsed on the bed before him. "Why is she doing this to me?"

"Don't look at me, kid. I don't understand woman and I never will," said Cid as exhaled deeply, sending a tendril of smoke snaking out of his mouth. "So what do you two have there anyway?"

"Tickets to Gold Saucer…Tifa was just saying how much she wants to go with me and then all of a sudden…her excitement just disappeared," Cloud sighed and handed the ticket back to Barret. "Here. Maybe you should hold on to it for awhile. I'm not exactly in the best mood right now."

"Nonsense, kid!" Cid forced the ticket back into his hands. "Don't you worry about a thing! I'm gonna take care of everything so you just wait and see."_ And this time there better be no mumbo jumbo involved. You can be a real pain in the ass, kid…but I know you're worth it._

Cloud raised a single brow. "You…are?"

"Yes, just count on me." Cid thought about telling him the truth with the lunch matchmaking but then thought against it. It would only cause trouble and pain for the leader to know that Tifa never planned the romantic meal with him. Perhaps some things really are just better left unknown.

All of a sudden, the tranquility in the room was disrupted by a loud noise that came from the front entrance. The sound of a door clashing with a wall thundered throughout the small house as Yuffie entered, dropping her two suitcases on either side of her with a loud thud. "HEY GUYS! I'm here!" _Nyuk nyuk nyuk…_

_- - - - - - - - - _

Author's Notes: Hmm…that took awhile to update, didn't it? Anyways, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Yes, I know it was rather brief, but I wanted to make Yuffie's entrance so she can add more spice to the future chapters. As usual, thanks so much for reading and please leave a review or comment for me!


	4. Chapter IV

Chapter IV

"Guys?"

The ninja flashed her two rows of immaculate white teeth sweetly when all three men joined her at the entrance. However, none of them made a step towards her. Barret raised a single brow and gave the girl a weird look before nudging Cloud and Cid. Cloud shrugged his shoulders and mouthed, "What do you want me to do?" but made sure that his words did not fall upon Yuffie's ear. Cid ducked behind Cloud's spikes and Barret's bulky shoulders, reluctant and somewhat frightened to move anywhere the thief. He clutched the pack of cigarettes in his breast pocket tightly. It was his last pack and God forbid Yuffie steals it to lecture him on the dangers of cancer.

When she saw that none of the men budged or even responded to her greeting, her smiled instantly dissolved and was replaced with a frown that covered her clenching teeth. "Geez. What's wrong with you people? Look, I know I'm dazzling and all, but you don't need to stand there and drool over me. Hurry up and take my stuff. We all know I'm here for a GOOD CAUSE, RIGHT?" She stared at Barret as she stressed her last words.

The gunman instantly growled, knowing exactly what she meant. He mumbled a few curse words under his breath as he slowly trudged towards the ninja and easily lifted the luggage with a single hand.

"Yo, what do you mean you're here for a good cause? Didn't you tell Spikey here that your old man booted your from your own home?" Cid asked flatly.

"Yess! Of course I told Cloud that. What? You don't believe me? Ask HIM!" She pointed a finger while her other hand remained hotly on her hips. She let out a snicker when she saw the gunman scowl before turning around to put on a fake smile.

"Yea! She told me 'dat already. Wha? Ya two ain't takin' my word or somethin'?"

One look into his narrowed black eyes made Cloud and Cid jump back in alarm. They shot each other a glance and quickly nodded their heads.

"Good, that's what I thought. Barret, I would like you to bring my stuff to the lovely furnished room Cid has provided for me," Yuffie demanded. It was obvious that she was enjoying her role as the order giver. Her 'server' simply shot her a dirty look before disappearing into the dim halls that led to the guest room.

Yuffie waved her hand in a reprimanding manner when she saw the pilot standing in the corner puffing away at his cigarette. He was too indulged in his craving to notice the young ninja making her way towards him. Just as Cloud was going to speak out to warn his friend, Yuffie kicked him hard in the shins, which forced him to confine his yelp from breaking out.

She snatched the cigarette out of his hand and dabbed the end into a wall before letting it fall beneath her. She quickly stomped it with her right feet before he could make a reach for it on the ground. "Must I remind you for the hundredth time that smoking is bad for you? You're gonna end up with cancer one of these days. Shame on you for not listening to me." Noticing a small bulge in his breast pocket, she reached in and grabbed the last pack of cigarettes that the pilot was depending on to get him through the days of washing dishes at the Shanghai Inn. In a blink of an eye, she crushed the entire packet between her palms and twisted the package in such a way that the final product was nothing more than a few pieces of cardboard and trampled tobacco loitered on the floor.

Cid swallowed a lump in his throat that was preventing him from speaking. His face flushed a shade of red that Yuffie didn't know existed. The color extended all the way to the tip of his ears and the ninja could mentally picture white smoke being emitted from both ends. That image made her laugh out loud to the point where tears were forming at the corner of her eyes. She hugged her stomach and continued giggling until she felt a rough hand gripping her shoulder. In an instant, she was lifted from the ground and her eyes met Cid's bloodshot ones that had the look of murder in them. "Don't worry. I see you just polished the floor, but I'm sure Cloud will sweep up the mess. He's good with those stuff."

"HEY! Who do you think I am? Your personal maid?" Cloud asked angrily.

"Of course not. You're not my personal maid…"

"That's better…" Cloud concluded, pleased with her answer.

"You didn't let me finish, Spikey. You're not my personal maid because you're Cid's. HAHAHA!" Even being suspended in air didn't refrain Yuffie from laughing.

Cid could feel his free fist shaking uncontrollably as he watched the young girl amused at the whole situation. "Yo, can I please knock the crap out of her?"

At that moment, Yuffie caught a glimpse of Tifa entering the room. She immediately fell silent and remained perfectly still in Cid's grasp. As Cloud and Cid exchanged a confused look with each other, Yuffie seized the opportunity to look hopelessly helpless. "Oh, help! Tifa, help me! Cid said he was going to beat the crap out of me and it's all Cloud's idea!" Her voice was soft and weak, almost begging for the older woman's attention.

"WHAT?" Cloud exclaimed nervously when he spotted Tifa running in.

"What are you two doing to her?" Tifa cried, unable to do anything else but stare at the ninja trapped within Cid's clutch. "Put her down!"

"As you wish, M'lady." Cid smirked as he tossed the light girl into the air. He caught her by her ankle and then allowed her to fall on her head and back. He kicked the remnants of his cigarettes into her short messy hair before playfully bowing to Tifa. "Your wish is my command."

She rolled her eyes at his silly gesture as another uncomfortable wave awkwardness hit her. She quickly stepped away from the pilot and focused on helping the ninja up to her feet. Yuffie dusted the broken cigarettes from her hair and rubbed her temples. The blow wasn't severe at all, but she couldn't let an opportunity like this go to waste. "Oh Tifa! It hurts!" she pitifully wailed.

"What happened?" Tifa demanded. She looked at all three people in the room, but neither of them responded. Cid was too busy chuckling to himself and Cloud had to purse his lips to suppress his own amusement.

Yuffie simply sat on the floor, rubbing her head with a pout on her face. "I'll tell you what happened, Teef! I was warning Cid about the dangers of cancer because you know I care a lot about him. That's when he went crazy and lifted me into the air and Cloud suggested that he drop me. And guess what? HE DID! His cigarettes fell out and I accidentally crushed them.

When Tifa wasn't looking her way, the ninja smiled wickedly and winked at the two baffled men who were lost for words.

"Oh, you poor thing. Here, let me help you up and I'll get you some ice for your head!" Tifa said, her eyes piercing vehemently at the two blondes in the room.

"Wait a minute! You don't believe-" Cloud quickly insisted when he caught Yuffie sticking her tongue out at him as Tifa helped her up to standing. Unfortunately, she was out of Tifa's peripheral vision and therefore couldn't be seen by her.

The ladies made their way out of the room and as Tifa passed Cloud, she turned her head, allowing her thick chocolate brown hair to shield her from any of his comments. "I don't want to hear about it, Cloud. You two should be ashamed of what you did."

The leader helplessly stared at the two women exiting into the dark halls. Maybe having Yuffie over wasn't such a good idea after all. She was sneaky and it was clear that she was here for something else for someone seeking refuge after getting thrown out of their home was unlikely to act in the manner she had just presented. Cloud pulled out his PHS from his pocket and quickly dialed a few numbers.

"What are you doing?" Cid asked when he saw the skeptical look in his friend's eyes.

"Something isn't right here. I want to see if Godo really kicked her out."

Barret managed to catch his words as he walked by the room. Peering inside, he found Cloud waiting for someone on the other line to pick up. "YO!" He immediately crashed in and knocked the mercenary and the PHS on to the floor

"HEY! What was that for?" Cloud grabbed the PHS before Barret could reach for it.

To the gunman's relief, Cloud sighed and dropped the cracked device. If Cid found out that he had something to do with Yuffie's sudden appearance, he was sure his ass would've been kicked out by the pilot's trustworthy spear. In addition, Cloud and Tifa would've figured out his plot to set them together, which would've made everyone living under the safe room uncomfortable.

There was a blank expression on Barret's face before he uttered a rather flimsy excuse. "Uhhh…yo, there was 'dis huge fly on yo head. Anyways, uh…sorry about yo PHS man. Hope it ain't an important call ya'll were plannin' on makin'."

After a few short attempts at trying to fix the PHS, Cloud gave up and placed the pieces on the coffee table. "No, forget about it. It's nothing. I was just calling to confirm if Yuffie really did get kicked out by Godo."

"Ya, of course she did. Why you ask?" Barret inquired.

"You should've been here before. She accused Cloud and I for wanting to beat the crap out of her. Personally, I wanted to, but I didn't. Now Lockheart is all pissed at Spike here," Cid chimed in.

"What? That foo. I'm gonna have a big talk with that brat…"

- - -

"Yo, did ya forget your mission here, ya dumb brat? The hell ya thinking when you made Spike look bad in front of Teef?" Barret furiously spat. When he saw the relaxed and carefree look on the ninja's youthful face, he felt his blood boiling all over again.

Yuffie revealed an opened palm as she tapped her foot impatiently. "Hey, I don't initiate my missions until I get paid first. So far, I got ZIP from you."

Barret scanned the halls to make sure no one was near before closing the door behind him tightly. He reached into his pockets and pulled out a few glowing materias and a sack of gil. He stuffed the contents into the thief's hands and said, "There ya go. Happy?"

He expected to see a grin but instead found her scowling as she stared at the items in her hands. "This is my pay? Don't make me laugh."

_Now where did I hear that line before?_ As Barret pondered if he had heard the familiar phrase before, there was a knock on the door. "Shit. Quick, git under the bed! I don't wanna be seen with ya."

When Yuffie was out of sight, Barret opened the door and found Tifa smiling pleasantly with a tray of ice and towels in her hand.

"Hi Barret. Have you seen-"

"Have I seen Yuffie? Nah, haven't. See ya later, Teef."

He immediately shut the door again and motioned for Yuffie to step out. "Yo! Teef is looking for ya. Git out of here now. The deal is on, right?"

"This pay is going to last you one and a half day at most. You better find me something better. Time is ticking. Ta-ta."

- - -

_Tifa, _

I simply can't wait to go to Gold Saucer with you. It's unfortunate that we couldn't spend more time together due to our busy schedules, but I promise we'll have fun at GS. By the way, I hope you're not mad at me over the 'Yuffie' incident. I swear I took no part in it! You know how that girl can act sometimes. Well, I hope you get this note soon. I'm out and probably won't be back home until dinnertime. Take care.

Love,

C-

"BOO!" Yuffie exclaimed as she emerged from behind the sofa Cid was sitting in.

Her sudden outburst caused him to jump up from his seat, sending his letter and pen flying out of his hands. "&#!" When he was realized it was Yuffie behind him, he sent her a stern glare that made her cower into the corner. He hastily picked up the letter and the pen, unsure if he was going to add something else. When he tried scanning over the note, he felt a finger tap his shoulder. Turning around, he jumped for the second time when he saw the ninja flash him a creepy smile. "Where the hell did you come from? Weren't you just in that corner?"

"Never mind that. Wha'cha doing?" She tiptoed, trying to read the content in the note.

"None of your damn business, kid. Scram," Cid answered, annoyed at her prying.

"Tell me! Pleaseee!"

Figuring that it would be easier to tell her what he was up to rather than to listen to her piercing pleas, he briefly showed the letter to the ninja. "There. I'm trying to hook Cloud and Tifa up. I'm writing a note to Tifa and signing Cloud's name at the end of it." Before she could reach for the paper, Cid slapped her hand away with the pen. "There. Now leave me alone. I gotta slip this into her room before I leave to work on the rocket."

"I can do it for you," Yuffie offered, seeing that she should be taking some action to help Cloud and Tifa now that she had just been paid.

"Well…I AM late, but can I really trust you, brat?" Cid folded the piece of paper and thought for a moment if he would be making a big mistake if he handed the note to her. Who knew what types of plot Yuffie's mind was generating at the moment.

"Look, I'm a girl so it'll be easy for me to slip it into her room. What excuse are you going to make up if she catches you?"

Damn, she had a point there.

"Fine." With a sigh, the tired pilot reluctantly handed the paper to her and idly played with the pen between his fingers. "But you better not have something fishy up your sleeves. I smell something rotten and it ain't my cigarettes thanks to you."

"You should be grateful that you have such a gorgeous, amazing, talented, caring, sweet-"

"Shut it, you little monster." Cid expertly tossed the pen into her opened bite, causing her to choke back on her own words. "I'll be back in a few hours. Make sure you don't screw up my house. It would be even better if you stayed OUT of my house."

---

"There, that should make Tifa a happy camper," Yuffie said as she slipped the note Cid wrote under her pillow. Tiptoeing out in order to not wake the sleeping woman, she caught sight of something beautiful. Next to a stack of paper on Tifa's desk was her collection of materias. She was unable to successfully walk out the door before backtracking to the source of the sparkling marbles. Her hand tentatively reached out, unsure if she could pull off stealing such a huge assortment with its owners only a few feet away.

Yuffie's attention was diverted when she saw a sheet a blank paper that was just beckoning to be written on. Taking out the pen that she had been clenching in her mouth, she finally decided to settle on writing a note than blatantly stealing in front of her friend. She pondered for a moment on what she wanted to be on the blank sheet, but her eyes kept drifting back to the materias that were only a few inches away from her.

"Okay! Stop it, Yuffie! You gotta concentrate on helping Tifa and Cloud first. Once the lovebirds are together, they'll be too busy oogling at each other to care about their materias!" she told herself. Writing was never her forte. She exceeded mostly in the art of battle and stealing, but how hard could writing a love letter be?

_Cloud, _

Did I ever tell you that you make my heart jump when you stare at me with your Sapphire blue eyes? They seem to glitter like a mastered ALL materia, but I think they're worth more than 1,000,000 gils. By the way, I can't believe a mastered ALL materia is only worth 1,000,000 gils. It takes forever to level that sucker up. Uh, anyways…did I ever tell you that your hair reminds me of the Rising Sun? Speaking of the Rising Sun, did you know that materias have a 2x growth rate when equipped on to that weapon? And uh…your lovely lips appear juicer than a sizzling Summon materia. Oh yeah, I would really like to get my hands on KOTR so can you please just insert it into my Confor--...gloves? Thanks a bunch, you hot stuff.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo

-From the sexy lass next door.

"Nyuk nyuk nyuk…that wasn't so bad. Now…time to place this into Cloud's room..."

- - -

Author's Notes: Hehe, here's chapter IV. I had a blast using Yuffie in this chapter and there will be more insanity from her in the future. Hope you all enjoyed and sorry it took so long for me to update. I now have some extra time to write since my midterms are out of the way! Once again, thank you for reading and please leave a review. D


	5. Chapter V

Chapter V

_Ahhh…what a wonderful morning. The sun is shining, the chocobos are warking, the dog is howling…wait, since when did we have a dog in the house!?_

Cid immediately jumped out of bad, snapping out of his slumber that was too good to be real. He discarded the soggy cigarette from his mouth and replaced it with a fresh one before lazily throwing a blue robe over his half nude body. He emitted a low growl before quickly descending down the stairs of the small two-story house. When he entered the living room he nearly screamed at the sight and had to clamp his lips together to prevent his cigarette from falling out.

"Yuffie Kisaragi! What the &$ are you doing!?"

Yuffie looked up from her crouching position with an innocent smile before peering through the sofa flaps to motion her companion to come out. A tiny tan puppy with spiking fur emerged from the cushions and barked loudly as its way of introducing himself to the rather furious looking pilot. The dog waddled its tail and barked again when he didn't receive any reactions from Cid. After a few moments of silence, the puppy tilted its head with a dubiously look on his cute face before going back to the game of hide and seek with the cushions. The seams and cotton were ripped from its place and his favorite leather sofa was now adorned with a huge hole in the seat.

"Cid, I would like you to meet Spikey," Yuffie said proudly, not noticing the deadly stare Cid was giving her. She continued, "I found this poor soul lurking around the yard next door and decided to bring him in since it looked so hungry and cold. I hope you don't mind that I fed him all the bacons in the fridge."

With eyes that looked as if they could shoot daggers, what Cid did next surprised them both, and probably everyone else in the house had they been present at the scene. The pilot angrily jumped up and down in irritation, sending waves of frustration that rattled the nearby furniture. When he finally calmed down, he spoke in a low deadly tone. "You get that…THING out of my house! What does my house look like? Some type of pet shop!? DO you #$ing know why you found that THING next door? It's probably because it belongs to THEM. GET IT OUT NOW!" he seethed.

"Cid, hold your chocobos and stop calling Spikey 'thing.' First of all, you're hurting his feelings." Yuffie threw her palms over the dog's ear, not wanting him to take in any of the vulgar language that was rolling out of Cid's mouth. That gesture seemed to have ticked Cid off even more because he easily lifted the puppy with one hand into the air and walked towards the door, ignoring Yuffie's protest.

"Hey, what the hell do you think you're doing?" She demanded firmly as she rushed off beside him. Unfortunately, because of the height difference between the two, she was nowhere close to making a grab for Spikey, who was barking in the pilot's ear as he strolled towards the main door. A final bark was heard before he threw the animal outside and slammed the door with a loud thud.

"Don't you EVER bring anything or anyone into this house again without my permission unless you're looking for my spear to be shoved your ass!! Do you hear me!?" Geez, he didn't even get a chance to smoke his cigarette due to the abomination he had to face FIRST thing in the morning.

Yuffie scowled, but decided to keep her mouth shut from exploding in rage. She was simply bored out of her mind and needed a cute furry companion to hug and play with. Unfortunately, someone like Cid would never be able to understand her 'girly' desires. Besides, she had a mission to accomplish for Barret and getting kicked out of the house would not do both of them any good. However, she couldn't prevent her next words from slipping out as she trotted off to her room. "You didn't even let me say good-bye to Spikey…"

"OUT!"

The young ninja quickly scurried out before Cid lifted her into the air and threw her out like a rag doll in the same fashion he discarded the poor puppy. The tired pilot rubbed his temples and inhaled another smoke before letting the airy tendrils disappear into air. Just as he was about to let out another string of curse due to witnessing the havoc the dog had wrecked in his living room, Cloud appeared in the doorway with a confused look on his face.

"What is it, kid? Is there something on my face?"

Cloud shook his head. "No, but what was all that commotion about?" He took one look at the living room and decided it was best not to question any further.

"That damn ninja brat decided to bring a damn PET into my house and let it loose. I was SO close to kicking her skinny ass back to Wutai." Cid let out another puff of gray smoke before turning his attention to the perplexed AVALANCHE leader. "Why you up so early anyway? We still got another three hours before we work on the rocket."

Cloud wished he could go back to sleep, but the letter in his hand disturbed him to no end. In fact, he felt his fingers shaking with horror when he gave the piece of paper to Cid. "Take a look at this." As his friend suspiciously accepted the paper and started reading, myriad thoughts ran through Cloud's head. In his mind, creepy images of the ninja of Wutai flashed before his eyes. Her bright sly smile and those mischievous glistening eyes sent shivers down his spine and to even THINK that she had an interest in him…well…that made him feel sick. Much sicker than what Yuffie feels when she's on an airship.

"From the lass next door, eh…" Cid chuckled as he folded the letter and returned it to its owner. "You think it's from Tifa?" he said jokingly.

"I think it's the OTHER lass next door," Cloud retorted, certainly not in the light mood to jest. "Do you think she's after me or my materias? I really hope it's the materias…"

"Yeah, I hope it's the materias too, kid. I'd really hate to think what she would do to get you…" _Damn brat. She BETTER be after the materias or else my hard work to get Cloud and Tifa together are going to for nothing._

A thick silence hung in the air as vivid images of the ninja's plots entered both men's mind. They could hear her hyena laughs reverberating through the room even though she was nowhere close to where they were. But, for some strange reason, her presence seemed to linger upon them like a moth to a flame. Too occupied with their thoughts, neither of the men realized Yuffie carefully poking her head into the room. "Hiya!" she exclaimed.

That single word cause Cloud to jump slightly. He was almost afraid to look behind him, but when he heard footsteps approaching him, he quickly shoved the note into his pocket and spun around, smiling weakly at the female. "Umm…hi Yuffie…" He stared at her blankly with a slight hint of fear in his voice as he spoke to her. For some reason, he couldn't get rid of the image of Yuffie hopping on to his lap and laying him with kisses.

"Geez, is there something on my face?" She rubbed her cheek gently when she saw Cloud staring at her strangely. When the blonde didn't reply, she shrugged it off and turned her attention to the other man. "Cid, I just want to let you know that Spikey does not belong to your neighbors so is it ok if I bring him here-"

Cid didn't even let her finish her sentence. It was bad enough that she had disturbed his morning by bringing in a little monster that nearly destroyed his house. "FOR THE LAST TIME!! NO!! OUT!!"

Yuffie shot him a sour look and stuck her tongue out before exiting. "Damn! It looks like someone needs to get laid."

Cloud glanced back and forth between Yuffie and Cid. "Is there something I don't know about? Who's Spikey?"

- - -

The silence in the house was now interrupted by the clapping sound of thunder roaring in the sky. Tiny droplets of rain pounded incessantly on the windowpanes, almost as if they were begging to be let in. The beautiful bright day took a turn for the worse as hints of a storm started approaching Rocket Town. Cid was obviously the most devastated one, probably in the entire provincial town, since this unfortunate event hindered his progress on the rocket. All he mostly had been doing was staring at the window, mumbling incoherent phrases that could only be understood by him and no one else. Cloud had a feeling it was better that way. He doubt he, or anyone else in the house, would want to hear the oh-so-charming words coming from the grouchy pilot.

The mercenary hadn't seen Yuffie and Barret since morning. He hoped that they would return soon. Not only was the storm kicking in, but the house was way too deserted and lonely without Yuffie and Barret arguing with each other, or Yuffie arguing with Cid, OR Yuffie just being plain old Yuffie by arguing with everyone. He noticed that Tifa had mostly been in her room reading. The door to her room was left ajar and he couldn't help but walk back and forth from the living room to the bathroom just to catch a quick glimpse of her. She didn't seem to notice his figure walking around and he didn't know whether he should be relieved or concerned. Was she purposely ignoring him? What on earth did he do wrong?

No longer able to concentrate on the layout of the rocket he had been staring for the past 20 minutes, Cloud got out of his seat and made his way to Tifa's room. Her door was still left opened and through the crack he saw her lying peacefully against her bedpost with a book in her hands. He knocked gently and caught her eyes when she looked up. To his surprise, she smiled warmly at him and motioned for him to enter.

He nodded and as he walked in, he suddenly felt his hand shake and went cold. However, his face contrasted with his hands. His cheeks were slightly burning in embarrassment and he hoped that it wasn't evident. He watched Tifa close the book and set it on the table beside her. She gracefully slid her legs to the other side of the bed, creating room for her friend to sit.

Cloud took a seat at the edge of her bed and nervously stole a glance at her. Her hair was messily, but beautifully sprawled across her shoulders. Her usual sparkling vibrant eyes held a hint of fatigue and her tiredness was only emphasized when she gave him a small weak smile that was formed by her lovely lips curving slightly downwards. He stared at her with concern before asking, "How have you been, Tifa? I haven't had a chance to talk to you these days…and I hope that you don't feel neglected because that is the LAST thing I want you to feel…" Guilt was reflected on his face as he continued, "I'm really sorry and I hope you're not mad at me for anything."

"Mad at you?" Tifa questioned, a bit alarmed at the intensity of his chosen words. "What makes you think I'm mad at you?"

Cloud was a bit taken by her response. His brilliant Mako eyes widened in surprise. "You…you weren't mad at me all this time?"

The brunette shook her head, her long raven locks flowing easily with each movement. She silently wondered what gave him the impression that she was annoyed with him, because she hadn't meant to hold any hostility towards him at all. When she tried to recall the events that occurred the past few days, an answer suddenly came to her. Every time Cloud was near her, Cid was too. The awkward letters and languages that Cid was giving to her had her anxiety running high, causing her to avoid the pilot with every opportunity she had. She hadn't meant to hurt Cloud in the process. That was one of the last things she ever wanted to do to him, but how was she going to explain her predicament without slipping away the fact that Cid had a special interest in her.

"You OK?"

His question broke her train of thoughts. Her cheeks flushed as she came out of her musings.

"Sorry. Yeah, I'm fine. I'm sorry if I have been ignoring you these past few days. Really…I didn't mean to."

Cloud inwardly gave a sigh of relief. He knew there had to be an explanation for the way Tifa was behaving and now that he got the answer he was hoping for, nothing could please him more, except for Tifa to return his unconditional feelings towards her. "Thanks Teef. You have no idea how happy you just made me…"

Tifa blushed slightly as she took in his sincere words that touched her heart, which was skipping by the moment. She knew an awkward moment of silence would follow when neither of them knew how to continue. She really didn't want to break the sweet tranquility that was lingering between them, but she had to ask her next question.

"Cloud, when you're with Cid, what does he usually talk about?" she asked softly with a distressed look on her face.

Cloud raised a single brow and looked at her with his confused Mako infused eyes. Her question seemed to have appeared out of nowhere and had no relations to what they were previously discussing. He hated to admit it, but he was disappointed that the conversation took a turn for another topic rather than staying on the same focus he had hoped for. However, he answered her to the best of his knowledge. "He mostly talks about the designs of his rocket and how we're going to replace some old parts with new parts he made and purchased. Although, lately he also has been complaining about Yuffie's presence because she can't seem to keep her mouth shut around the house."

Tifa laughed at his last sentence. She adored the little ninja, but she had to admit that sometimes Yuffie could get one everyone's nerves without even realizing it. When the chuckled died down, she looked at Cloud, expecting him to say more but he seemed to have concluded his statement. "Umm…is there anything else in particular that Cid talks about?"

Cloud was getting a very uneasy feeling with Tifa asking him what Cid talks about. He tried to set is aside and comply with her request. After all, Cid was her friend too. She had a right to know…but why only Cid? Why not Barret or Yuffie? Well…Yuffie was self-explanatory. "He also talks about how he misses Shera and can't wait for her to come back from her trip. I think that's about it. Boring, yes. But trust me, that man smokes more than he talks!"

Now THAT brought her some relief and comfort. The fact that he misses Shera seemed to have caused some of her concern to ebb away, but so many questions still remained unanswered. For instance, how would that explain the freakish letter she found on her drawer this morning? She felt her body shiver as she recalled a few lines from that note. Going to Gold Saucer with CID was certainly a first. She didn't know the pilot had a playful bone in his body. She debated on whether or not she should talk to Cloud about her situation, but before she could come to a decision, he suddenly asked her something that surprised her.

"Hey, what does Yuffie talk to you about?"

She thought it was blatantly obvious what Yuffe talked about most of the time.

"Mostly about how she wants to get her hands on the latest materias. That girl is so crazy about power that it's kinda scary if you think about it. I can totally imagine her being with a big strong man loaded with materias. However, I don't know what's going to happen to the poor man once she gets what she wants. Oh, but don't tell her about it, OK? It'll be our little secret."

Too bad their 'little secret' made him feel sick all over again. He had to agree with her that the first thing on the ninja's mind was power and strength. Could that be why she was after him? It wouldn't be so bad if she was only after his materias and weapons…but what if… "Hey Teef? Do you think Yuffie is capable of genuinely loving a man?"

Tifa bit her lower lip, her mind deep in thought as she wondered why Cloud was so interested about the ninja all of a sudden.

_He's probably just curious… _she told herself, but for some reason, it wasn't completely convincing. "Yes, I believe Yuffie has the ability to genuinely love another. Deep down, she is a sweet girl filled with emotions and passions, even though she doesn't really show it. It's strange, but I can sense it in her. Maybe it's just a girl thing, you know?"

_Mental note. Stay as far away as possible from Yuffie Kisaragi! _"I suppose…" he managed to say in the midst of images of Yuffie flashing through his mind again. He could hear her screaming gleefully at the back of his head as he saw a pair of long thin arms extending out to wrap him in an embrace. Cloud's eyes went wide and immediately jumped away from the bed. When he was snapped back into reality, he realized how foolish he must've looked. This time it was Tifa's turn to question his condition. "Cloud, you feeling…OK?"

He rubbed his eyes, making sure the images of Yuffie disappeared before stuttering, "Uh…yeah. Sorry about that. I thought I saw something…"

"What did you see?" Tifa questioned, her head darting from side to side to see what could've possibly made Cloud jumped the way he did.

"N-nothing. I must've imagined it. Anyways…" he said, wanting to change the subject before she got the chance to interrogate him further. "I was wondering if you would like to go to dinner with me tonight. I know it's sudden, but I don't need to work on the rocket tonight with Cid since it's raining." He nervously balanced his weight on his toes as he waited for her answer. Another wave of relief washed over him when she immediately responded.

"YES! Umm…I mean yes…" she said more quietly. "I would love to go with you tonight, Cloud…" Keeping her composure, she nodded her head with a smile as an indication that she was more than thrilled to accept his offer. "Where are we going?"

Cloud thought for a moment. Rumor had it that the best restaurant in Rocket Town was located in the Shanghai Inn. Hopefully, things weren't going to end up as a disaster again. "How about…the Shanghai Inn?"

If it wasn't for her thick hair that kept most of her face shrouded, Cloud might've caught a glimpse of her frown. The last time she was there, she had to come up with the lamest reason to excuse her from her lunch with Cid. "Sure…" she said slowly, but eventually continued with a more cheery tone. "I can't wait Cloud. What time?"

He quickly checked his watch and made sure he had enough time to reserve a nice table for them. "How about seven? Is that OK?" he asked as he quickly estimated the time he needed.

"That's perfect…" Perhaps things were going to look up for her after all. She looked out her window and noticed that the rain was already starting to wade. Tiny streaks of golden sunrays peaked through the blinds, pushing away the foggy gray mist that had been lurking there for nearly half the day. "Are you sure you don't need to work on the rocket tonight? It looks like the weather is clearing up."

"No," Cloud stated firmly. "It doesn't matter. Cid already told me that I have the night off and if he needs me, then…too bad. You come before anything, Tifa…"

Whatever uneasiness she had possessed earlier suddenly faded upon hearing those simple words that managed to calm the towering tides in her heart.

Cloud watched her fidget nervously as she weaved a hand through her beautiful locks, locks that he longed to run his fingers through. He had a feeling that he was putting her on the spot by taking notice how her ivory complexion was now beet red…and it looked absolutely stunning. "Umm…well, I'll see you tonight then, OK?" He made his way to the door but before leaving, he added, "Oh, and I won't be late!"

"Don't worry, I'm going to be there…" Tifa replied softly with the most pleasant smile on her face.

"Heh…you sure you don't need to wash any dishes this time?" Cloud chuckled at his slight humor. However, his joke was short-lived when a baffled Tifa glanced back at him, expecting him to elaborate.

"Huh? What are you talking about? What dishes?"

"Uhh…nevermind. Nothing," Cloud quickly muttered. He didn't want to risk ruining one of their best moments by offending her in some way that he was not even aware of. _Maybe she forgot…I should just drop this. _"I'm looking forward to seeing you tonight at seven."

---

Author's Notes: Well, it's about time that I added some CloTif action, huh? ) I apologize for taking so long to update. I've been busy with some other stuff lately, but once they're out of the way I should be able to continue. I'm not sure how many chapters this fic will end up having, but I'll continue writing as long as I have new ideas. It might take awhile since I'm planning on writing some one-shots too so please be patient! As always, thanks for reading and please leave a review!


	6. Chapter VI

Chapter VI

"Put this on."

"But it's a _dress_!" Yuffie whined. She stared at the emerald silk gown that was draped across her arms in horror. It was shiny, smooth, sparkly, and everything else she despised. Dresses were simply not part of her fashion and even imagining the type of shoes she had to wear to complement her gown made her dizzy. Forget heels. Nature just didn't intend for her to be a lady. She was so clumsy and reckless that tripping over flats became an occasional habit.

"Brat!" Cid spat in rage. "You WILL put this on or I will do it for YOU. Is that clear!? What part of 'formal dining' don't you understand?" If he were to have children one day, he hoped to God they would all be boys. Dealing with Yuffie was more frustrating than dealing with Sephiroth. How hard was it to get a _woman _to wear a _dress_?

Yuffie grinned wickedly. "The formal part." She tossed the dress back into Cid's hands and turned away, preparing to walk out of the room. "And I think you should ask Shera before you start rummaging through her closet. It's rude to look through people's stuff, ya know? Besides, I thought you said you were going to work on the rocket tonight since it's not longer raining cats and dogs outside. Why are you going partying?"

"YUFFIE KISARAGI!" Cid roared, his fingers balling into a fist as he tried his best to suppress his fury. Shera had always told him that his anger was not good for his health and he promised her that he would do his best to contain himself…but this was just too much. If his Venus Gospel were in sight at the moment, he'd seriously consider skewering the ninja with it. At least the endless torture would be put to a permanent rest and he would be able to hear himself think in his own house again. "We ain't partying! There's been a change of plans and we're going to sit down and commend each other for our hard work and then make the final layouts for the last maintenance. You will $#&ing put this dress on or I'm kicking you out! This is ridiculous!! We're all going to the Shanghai Inn tonight to celebrate my progress on the rocket that I spent all of last night working on with the other crew members and you are not going to walk into a fancy restaurant in shorts and a tank-top!"

"Well, why not!?" Yuffie demanded harshly. "You know how much I hate dressing up! Isn't my presence alone enough? Does it matter what I wear as long as I show up for your stupid celebration party that is going to end up boring the hell outta me? You think I'm going to enjoy all of you men laughing, snorting, and talking about technical shit I can't even begin to comprehend."

"Yuffie, I don't expect you to understand the 'shit' we talk about, but you're coming along and you're going to be a proper lady because I don't trust you alone in MY house! The other morning my living was almost torn into shreds thanks to you and that damn dog!!" Cid let out a puff of smoke to calm his nerves before continuing with an amused snicker. "Second, it does matter what you wear to a FORMAL dinner because you look like a ho in that outfit of yours."

_Oh I know you did not just call me a ho…! _Yuffie's jaw dropped as she took in the pilot's crude insult. "You…you-!" Ugh, she couldn't even find the words to yell back at him. Instead, she instinctively wrapped one arm around her chest while stuffing the other hand into the pocket of her shorts, trying her best to force the tan garment down to cover as much of her lean unexposed thighs as possible. To her dismay, it only ended up exposing her flat stomach, which caused her to blush immediately. She angrily looked up at Cid, who was snickering to himself as he watched her trying to slip of her predicament.

"You see what I mean, ho?" he teased with a hint of sarcasm in his voice. He didn't want to offend the young ninja; he simply wanted to persuade her to change into something decent and since his forceful methods have failed, this was his last resort. "Tsk, look at all the damn flesh you exposin' girl! If you come to my party wearing that, you ain't coming back to my house. Let's see how well you fair outside in the dark wearing THAT."

"Ugh, you wouldn't dare do that Cid Highwind! I may be a brat, but even a bitter old man like you have some compassion."

Cid didn't say anything. He crossed his arms over his chest and gave her his sternest and coldest stare. The crease above the bridge of his nose and his furrowed eyebrows removed any aesthetically pleasing features he previously had. His face was a dark and scornful, which made Yuffie tremble slightly.

"You do have some compassion, right? Heh…eh heh…" she laughed nervously as she fumbled for the door knob beside her. She jumped slightly when the door behind her opened, revealing Cloud and Barret behind her. She let out a small sigh of relief, feeling a bit more relaxed and confident with her other two comrades beside her. Even if Cid were to throw her out of his house, there was no way Barret, Cloud, and Tifa would allow it. On second thought, Barret might be there with Cid, but Cloud and Tifa would certainly sympathize with her and cajole the pilot into letting her back in.

"Barret, Cloud!" Yuffie chirped happily as she feigned an awkward smile.

"Yo, wipe that grin off yo face, it's kinda creepin' me out…" Barret shuddered as he walked in, making sure to keep a certain distance between him and the female. The last time he saw that smile, he realized 100 gils was missing from his pocket after their little innocent 'encounter.' Of course he didn't have proof to pin the blame on her, but who else could stoop so low as to steal money that was meant for his little girl?

"We heard the loud commotion. Is everything OK here?" Cloud asked good-heartedly. He tried his best to ignore Yuffie as he slipped into the room, greeting Cid with an apologetic smile. "I heard that you're throwing a party to celebrate the near completion of the rocket and I'm really sorry that I won't be there to attend-"

Cid stopped him with a wave of his hand. "Naw, don't worry about it kid. You just go enjoy yourself with Teef, 'kay? If you get bored, you're more than welcomed to join me and the boys in our discussion regarding 'technical shit," but I doubt you'll rather do that than be with your lady."

"Heh…well, that's one thing I can't argue with you about," Cloud agreed with a small laugh. "Thanks again, Cid…"

"No problem, kid. I know you'll pick Teef over me even if I forced you to come with me, you stubborn spikey-headed ass. Besides, I got Barret and Yuffie accompanying me to dinner so it's all good."

Yuffie frowned and her cheery façade suddenly reverted back to a scowl. "This isn't fair. How come Cloud gets to talk his way out of this crap and I can't!? I wanna go with them instead! I wanna have real food with Cloud and Tifa instead of the greasy crap you usually order."

"For the love of God woman, shut yur mouth!" Barret retorted, shaking his head in a reprimanding manner. "When yous get yourself a boyfriend, you'll understand, git it? Until then, keep yur trap shut!"

Cid chuckled slightly. Finally, there was someone on his side. "Thank you, Barret. I've been putting up with her stupid remarks for the past twenty minutes."

Noticing that Cid was gripping the silky green dress in his gloved hands, Barret couldn't help but spite him. "Yo, I'm wit yous all the way. Still havin' probs gittin' her to wear that dress?"

"Ah, shut up you $&$!" Cid grumbled. His fingers were dangerously close to tearing the neckline of the gown apart. The only thing that refrained him from doing so was the fact that it was one of Shera's favorite dresses and she looked damn hot in it.

Cloud knew he was going to regret the next words he was going to say, but he couldn't just helplessly stand and watch Cid and Barret struggle with the stubborn ninja. Besides, Cid had been nothing but kind towards him and Tifa. It was the least he could do to repay him for his hospitality. "You know Yuffie…what's wrong with wearing the dress? I'm certain that you'll look very beautiful in it…" _Please don't let her get any ideas! _

"Really?" Yuffie questioned softly. Her angry face softened and her eyes shined with a glint of amusement. No one had ever told her she looked beautiful. The two most used adjectives for her were "annoying" and "spoiled." Hearing 'beautiful' was like hearing a foreign word, which fascinated and surprised her at the same time.

"Well, if Strife here says it's true, then it must be, eh?" Cid was amazed that he managed to say his line without a single genuine gag. Although, he did cross his fingers behind his back and only revealed it to Barret, who was making a sour face at Yuffie's reaction.

"Really," Cloud confirmed. "You know, I had to wear a dress in Wall Market once and it wasn't that bad…"

At that moment, the entire room erupted into a whirlwind of laughter, gasps, and curses.

_Shit…_ Cid thought. _I don't think I want a son either... Damnit! No children for me. _

_---_

For an oriental name like "Shanghai Inn," Yuffie was quite surprised that the inn was rather quaint and cozy with no hints of Asian architect or ornaments. To her, the rough wooden tables appeared cheap and gaudy compared to the sleek mahogany furniture implanted in her home and other various local stores in Wutai. However, she was pleased that the air around her didn't smell of rotten herbal medicine. That scent was prevalent in most buildings in Wutai and she was tired of holding her nose or holding her breath as she counted the seconds tick away out when she awkwardly stood grounded in a formal situation. Gawd knows that she was going to get a beating from Lord Godo if she were to do something rash and immature in front of her father's renowned colleagues.

"Hi, Miss. May I check you off the list?" a sweet voice called from the counter.

The ninja snapped out of her reverie and quickly rushed to the table, making loud clanks along the way. She ignored all the heads that turned her way. So what if she wasn't used to heels. She doubt any of the old hags in the room could accomplish even a fraction of her talents.

Putting on her best innocent smile to cover the frustration dwelling in her, she politely said, "Hiya. Yes, you may. My name is Yuffie."

"Yuffie? Yuffie what?"

"Geez, you're such a nitpicker. How many Yuffies do YOU know?" She rolled her eyes once and tried to control her tongue…but to no avail. "It's not like my name is Cid. What is so fascinating about that name that every other parent on the Planet has to name their kid that?"

The woman jumped at her comment. She expected the well-groomed girl before her to at least have some type of class and etiquette. _I guess you can't judge a book by it's cover…or a woman by her outfit _she thought grimly. _Stupid Captain Highwind…always bringing freaks here. _"Right down there, Miss. Your reservation is by the white window." She pointed to a small corner with a single round table that contained more ashtrays than food platters.

"But it's empty! Where is everyone?" Yuffie complained as her eyes angrily burned into the boring bland reservation space. If she had super ultra powers of a pyromaniac, she would've cause the table to combust into flames by now. "Ugh, I can't believe I have to wear this horrible dress for this dinky dinner." She had to adjust the straps of her emerald gown AGAIN since Shera's figure was far shapelier than hers. Her four inch black stilettos were killing her feet and she could already feel the blisters forming around her toes. _Damn, why do I have to be so short!? _

Yuffie's tension was so thick that the receptionist could even feel the hot temper emanating from her. "Umm…Miss…would you like to have some a small serving of carrot sticks as you wait?"

"Carrot sticks?" Yuffie asked dumbly.

The woman squeezed her eyes shut, preparing herself for another outburst from the rowdy teen. She counted to three and when she didn't hear anything, she looked up and found that her guest was quietly nibbling on the food. Letting out a sigh of relief, she gave the whole bag to her and continued her work. "Do you like them?"

"Gee woman. You're making it sound as if I never had carrots before. Hmm…although back in Wutai they served seaweed as appetizers. You should consider changing "Shanghai Inn" to "Turtle Paradise" 'cause it has a better ring, ya know?"

Just then, the front door blew open and a hoard of men dressed in black filed in. Immediately, the peace in the vestibule was destroyed with loud laughter, snorts, and hiccups. The warm and toasty scent of vanilla no longer lingered in the air. Instead, the rancid smell of tar and smoke filled the room as Cid gleefully lighted his fresh cigarette and passed the lighter to every single one of his colleagues except for Barret, who refused to smoke for Marlene. The gang didn't even need to announce their names. The black greasy residue that dripped from their faces and their dirty hands were enough to tell the story.

"Umm…your table is ready for you, Mr. Highwind." The women had to hold her nose as Cid walked by her and slapped her shoulder good-humoredly.

"Thanks, dollface. And thanks for babysitting the brat. I know she is one pain in the ass." Cid looked over at Yuffie who was standing beside the door with her arms crossed over her chest and her nose scrunched in disgust. Rolling his eyes, he walked over and grabbed her arm, easily dragging her through the hall.

"HEY! Let go!!" The ninja protested to an unrelenting Cid. "Asshole…" she mumbled underneath her breath, feeling the heels of her shoes scratching the delicate floor.

Grinning, Cid tossed her into her seat and sat down across from her. "You look good in that dress. Good thing you went through with it or else I would've seriously considered tossing you out tonight." He emptied his cigarette into his ashtray and poured himself a cup of tea. There was nothing like a cup of well-brewed herbal tea to soothe his tension after a long day of dealing with Yuffie's childish remarks.

"It's too freakin' big! Look!" She pointed to her slipping straps and the V-neck line that was too loose to offer any flattering curves.

"Hey, that's the smallest dress in Shera's closet. Are you saying she's fat?" Cid glared at her warningly. If anyone were to insult Shera in any way, he'd make sure they would feel his wrath. Of course, he didn't want to make it blatantly obvious since that would ruin his cold-hearted bastard demeanor that he took pride in.

"When the hell did I say that? I'm just saying this retarded dress is too big for me," Yuffie snapped, annoyed at being accused for something that hadn't even crossed her mind.

A voice from behind her spoke, "Don't worry. Maybe you just haven't gone through puberty yet."

Yuffie immediately scowled and whirled around, facing the man who had just insulted her. She felt her entire body heating up as she waved her clenched face in his face. To make matters worse, all the men behind the one who had spoken out erupted into an uncontrollable fit of laughter. Even Cid was having trouble controlling his chuckles in between sips of his tea.

"Moron! I hope you choke and die!" She screamed across the table.

Cid let out a shrilling whistle, causing all eyes to cast on him. "Alright guys. Settle down! We shouldn't be wasting the night on this brat here."

Satisfied but not pleased, Yuffie shot one last nasty look before sinking into her seat again. Just as she was getting ready to relax, she felt bulky arms crushing either side of her. Angrily, she took a rough nip of her carrot sticks in between two men who gave off a horrible odor.

_This is going to be one long ass night._

_---_

Cloud watched the closed doors with high anticipation, eagerly waiting for Tifa to show up. If it weren't for Cid and his loud buddies in the other chamber, he would have no problem with having the sliding doors opened. Although there was one tiny window, it was too dark outside to see even the slightest glimpse of a walking humanoid. Unlike Midgar, there weren't many streetlights in Rocket Town and whatever light illuminated the town mostly came from houses. Maybe it was better that way. The dark provided a much more romantic atmosphere. He smiled as he silently stared at the single flickering flame before his eyes, watching the wax of the candle slowly melt away. Since when did he ever have a romantic bone in his body? His entire life had been devoted to fighting and training, but that didn't mean his eyes and mind were constantly focused on the battlefield. Every once in awhile his body would feel weak, forcing him to succumb to Tifa's allurement, even though he tried his best to hide his longing. Maybe that was what pushed her away from him. He wasn't surprised if his reluctance to open up and his cold demeanor intimidated her.

No, it was funny how that no matter what barrier he encased himself in, she always found a way to shatter it. She was like the tiny dancing flame possessing a far greater inferno power that could thwart his frozen heart.

And when she entered through the doors, the whole room felt like it was on fire. With a greeting of a warm radiant smile, she walked over to her seat. Her hips swayed slightly as she elegantly treaded across the floor with such ease and grace that it almost appeared as if she was walking on water.

Noticing that Cloud hasn't blinked even once since she entered the room, Tifa blushed a soft shade of crimson. She set down her black purse, a color that matched her simple ebony strapless dress that trailed slightly above her heels with a thin slit on one side that exposed her long lean leg.

"Umm…sorry, I couldn't find something prettier to wear. I guess I didn't expect us to go to formal dinners when I packed…" she laughed nervously, realizing that Cloud was probably staring at her strangely due to how plain she looked. Now she really wished she did her hair differently…maybe even tying it in a nice ponytail would've looked better than the thick messy locks that splayed past her shoulders.

Cloud shook his head, pulling himself out of his trance. "What? No! Are you kidding? You look amazing…"

Sitting down, Tifa breathed a sigh of relief that came out a bit too loud. She smiled weakly, attempting to hide her embarrassment, but it didn't go unnoticed by Cloud.

"Really, you stunning. I'm the one who should be worried about my looks!" he reassured her as he poured her a glass of sparkling wine.

"Thank you. And you look absolutely breathtaking as well!" She couldn't help but let out a girly giggle as she accepted the glass with a wide smile. His shocking blonde spikes were still a mess, but she could tell that he made an effort to keep the strands tamed by gelling them down. Cloud failed to pack something formal as well and judging from what he was wearing, it was quite obvious that he had to borrow some of Cid's attires. Being heavier and taller than Cloud, his clothing size was larger as well, but Tifa didn't mind. The white-buttoned shirt and black slacks looked much sexier hanging loose on his form.

"Me?" Cloud scratched the back of his head awkwardly, unsure of how to take her comment. "Umm…thanks…" He fumbled for something else to say but his mind was scattered with random thoughts, mostly tips from Barret and Cid on how to overcome his fears and nervousness. Unfortunately, nothing they told him was manifesting in his head. With a low groan, he smiled sheepishly and added, "So…did you see Yuffie on your way in?"

"Yes!" Tifa replied excitedly. "She looks so much more mature, doesn't she? I think she looks beautiful." She tossed a glance to her right even though she couldn't see past the closed doors. "Poor Yuffie. I bet she's having a miserable time with Barret, Cid, and the rest of the crew."

"I agree. Heh, we could invite her here," Cloud joked with a spark of mirth in his eyes. "But," he continued. "I just want to spend time with you this evening. It feels like we haven't had a decent conversation in weeks."

Yes, she did feel alone and sometimes bored out of her mind when there was nobody in the house, but she never blamed him, not once. "Cid needs all the help he can get with the rocket and you were just doing your part-"

Cloud placed a hand on top of hers, abruptly cutting her off. "Yes, but that's no excuse. I'm sorry I dragged you with me and neglected you."

"Cloud…" She smiled, giving his hand a gentle squeeze. She momentarily forgot about finishing what she wanted to say for she was too engrossed with watching his Mako eyes behind the iridescent flame. She didn't notice it at first, but their tiny private chamber was very dimly lit. In fact, the only source of light stemmed from the single long burning candle, which gave off a sweet floral scent that could rival the aroma of the bouquet of roses neatly tucked in the glass vase at the edge of the circular table.

"Shall we?" He nodded at the silver platter before them, preparing to lift the lid off the plate.

"Oh…yeah…" Tifa muttered weakly. _Great, he probably caught me staring at him. How awkward…_

Cloud watched in anticipation as she pulled the lid off to reveal a fine dish of sizzling steak surrounded by vegetables and rice. He let out a small sigh of relief when she grinned at him and touched his hand affectionately, whispering, "Wow…how did you know I was in the mood for steak?"

"I could lie and say it's from intuition, but I actually asked Cid for advice since he takes Shera out to eat here all the time-"

"Cid knew what I want?" Tifa didn't mean to cut him off, but she suddenly felt uncomfortable upon hearing that name. She poked at the food with her fork without much of an appetite at the moment. She was famished a few minutes ago, but now she could only stare at her serving with discontent and a loaded weight of apprehension resting above her.

"Heh…yeah, apparently he did…" Cloud nodded, feeling a bit ashamed that Cid, out of all people, knew what she wanted. Now he really regretted asking his friend for advice, but he wanted the night to be perfect. "But, I'm sure it was just a lucky guess…" he added to his own defense.

Tifa could tell that he was trying his best to cover up his error. It was so evident in the way she felt his hand shake underneath hers, the way his eyes roamed back and forth but never focusing on anything in particular, and the way his voice shook when he attempted to come up with a flimsy excuse. It was just too cute and it was enough to make her forget about Cid if it weren't for Cloud's next line.

"Oh, that reminds me…" he said, shifting in his seat, trying to reach for a piece of paper buried in his pocket. "This belongs to Cid. He forgot to take this out when he let me borrow his pants tonight. I have to give this to him." He reluctantly pulled his hand away from Tifa and gently touched her bare shoulder on his way out. Turning around, he said, "It'll only be a minute."

"I know," Tifa mouthed back, feeling slightly better about the situation. She took a sip of her wine, letting the bittersweet taste linger in her mouth for a while before swallowing the liquid altogether. She licked her lips, tasting the remnants of her drink while she waited patiently.

Even though she could hear boisterous laughs coming from the other side, the room felt very empty and lonely without Cloud's company. She took the liquor bottle and poured the burgundy content into her glass, filling it nearly to the brim before taking another small sip. Tapping the glass with the tips of her fingernails, she silently wondered why she was suddenly so uneasy. The mentioning of Cid did startle her, but it shouldn't have. It was just something meaningless and trivial, not to be given a second thought on. If only things were as easy as that.

How could she forget that she was lying to Cloud behind his back? She was keeping something of great importance from him and the remorse was killing her inside. She had long dismissed the idea that the whole situation was one big misunderstanding. She kept telling herself that the events that took place happened by coincidence, but that no longer seemed plausible anymore.

Cid was her friend too and she hated hurting him, but he had to know sooner or later that the little charade he was carrying on behind Cloud's back had to come to an end. Setting the glass firmly beside her plate, Tifa got up and easily departed the closed doors. She was not a very impulsive person, but when it came to protecting Cloud, she could be driven to do anything for him.

"Hold still," a voice that was strikingly similar to Cloud's commanded.

When Tifa looked up, it took every ounce of energy in her body to will her to lean against the door to keep her from collapsing. Her whole body instantly became cold as she stared at the duo before her with frozen emotionless eyes. Cloud and Yuffie, unaware that a pair of hurt eyes were watching them, continued their warm gestures. Cloud gingerly cupped the ninja's cheeks and lowered his head until his eyes met hers with an intense gaze that would've made Tifa blush if she were in Yuffue's position. His blonde bangs hung over his head like a thick curtain, shielding both him and Yuffie from the world that threatened to destroy their intimacy. Tifa had never seen Cloud look at anyone in the way he was looking at Yuffie at the moment, not even at her. His eyes were narrow, almost as if they were keenly searching for something. From her peripheral vision, Tifa could see the young ninja protruding her jaw from her slender neck, her pink lips puckering in the process before they disappeared under the spiky blonde veil.

Tifa wondered if she had too much to drink. Yes, that would be the only logical reason to justify the nauseating scene before her. However, glancing past the two, she spotted Barret and Cid watching from the opposite side with their mouths wide open in sheer astonishment. Cid looked at her with confusion while Barret shot her a sympathizing gaze that didn't quell the hurt or anger that was dwelling in her one bit. That only made the bitter realty crash down on her harder, crushing her tenfold.

The air around her was becoming unbelievably thick and warm and she needed to get out of the Inn before the tension suffocated her lungs. Without even turning around to grab her purse, Tifa swiftly made a run for the front door before Cid or Barret could reason with her. She could feel the tears stinging at the corner of her eyes but they did not fall. Maybe the hurt didn't manifest yet due to the alcohol numbing her pain. Whatever it was, she couldn't afford to stay in the Inn a minute longer to debate whether or not what she saw was real or a figment of her imagination. She needed to leave now and she needed to leave alone.

Grabbing the knob with a tremendous force, she ran out, leaving the door opened just enough for Cloud to catch a glimpse of her figure running into the black night.

He immediately pushed Yuffie away, causing the ninja to stumble backwards in her high heels. "Hey, what the hell was that for?" she yelled, annoyed that she almost tipped over due to Cloud's careless gesture.

"Tifa! Where are you going?" Cloud trotted to the opened door but Cid beat him to it and pushed him back into the Inn.

"Cid, why did she just run off like that?" He tried peeking behind Cid's shoulder but the taller pilot roughly shoved him back into the vestibule where a towering Barret loomed over Yuffie with his fists clenched.

"The hell were ya doin' jest then, foo?" Barret fumed, pounding his first into his palm as his menacing eyes glared back and forth between the mercenary and the ninja.

Yuffie frowned, certainly not enjoying the harsh interrogation that came out of nowhere. "Geez. Is getting Cloud to pick out the carrot shreds stuck between my teeth a crime now?"

---

Author's Notes: Ahh, I apologize for such a late update. I had trouble writing this chapter because of writer's block so I hope it came out okay. Feel free to comment or criticize it through the reviews! Anyway, I wish you guys a happy holiday and new year! Merry Christmas everyone and hopefully you guys had a blast and a much better time than I did, hehe.


	7. Chapter VII

Chapter VII

Tifa pulled her knees up to her chest, rubbing her legs up and down for the sake of creating some sort of heat to keep her body warm. After she ran out of the inn, she headed straight for Cid's house, which was locked for the first time since she had step foot into Rocket Town. After the space program had been abandoned by ShinRa, all the residents felt safe again, no longer worried about random pillaging from SOLDIERS, who were there to "maintain peace." No more havoc raiding the town meant no more security. The townspeople felt at ease again, utilizing the trust they had amongst each other to forsake all worries and anxiety that had been spreading around Rocket Town like a plague back in the days when ShinRa roamed in, out, and about. So, why the hell would Cid Highwind picked today out of all the days to lock his door. Tifa remembered giving the door a good kick and a punch, but that only ended up bruising her. She couldn't channel her maximum potential, and no matter how hard she tried by closing her eyes and concentrating, the only thing she saw was Cloud towering over Yuffie in a manner that transcended the boundaries of friendship. She should have known that something was definitely wrong when the young ninja decided to visit Cid, a cranky pilot who reeked of oil and sweat, out of nowhere. And now she understood why. The sneaky girl must have somehow found out about Cloud's whereabouts and hitched a ride on the nearest boat sailing out of Wutai's docks.

She watched the train of her dress billow in the wind, the thin black lace moving back and forth like a phantom of the night. She placed her chin on her crossed arms and just watched the fabric dance to and fro, intertwining with each other before floating in opposite directions. Her mind was numb so anything was amusing to her at the moment, even watching the cloth of her gown sway in the wind. This was one of her favorite dresses and she had unknowingly packed it with her other clothes when she decided to accompany Cloud on his trip to Rocket Town. She would've never guessed that she would be wearing something so beautiful and elegant while their main purpose in town was to help construct Cid's rocket, so any fairy-tale like fantasies and visions of looking like a princess had been pretty much dismissed and never treaded upon again. She never thought she would actually be wearing that same stunning dress for a formal dinner with Cloud Strife, but she did have the dinner, and now she was sitting upon a stack of broken crates alone and cold beneath a flawless sky that was brimming with stars, each one seeming to twinkle a tear for her as they watched her lone figure in the midst of a small but festive town.

She never thought that Cloud and Yuffie could possibly be anything more than friends, but then again who was she to say that she and Cloud could be anything more than friends? Life worked in strange ways, and she was beginning to learn that the hard way. Beneath her, dark shadows moved about, and a female and male figured chased each other hand in hand as they strolled into the Shanghai Inn, probably getting a room for the night. Tifa gave a small smile as she watched the couple step inside; too happy to even realize that they had forgotten to shut the door behind them. She watched the entrance intently, expecting someone to walk out or at least someone closing the door. Finally, a tall and slightly built man stepped through the frame and a puff of smoke whizzed around him. Tifa squinted, but it only took a second for her to realize it was Cid when he stepped underneath a streetlight, the cigarette clearly visible between his fingers.

She quickly scurried behind the crates, not wanting Cid out of everyone, to see her. It would definitely be awkward, especially since Cid had been rather affectionate towards her the past few days. She had no doubt that the pilot probably saw what happened between Cloud and Yuffie, and came out searching for her after she quickly ran out of the inn without a single word. She didn't want him to find her. She only wanted him to open the door to his house so she could run to her room and lock the door and lock away the horrible evening. Cloud would just have to sleep somewhere else tonight, probably on the sofa, and she didn't give a damn.

"TIFA? Where are you? Girl, I know you're out here somewhere!!"

Tifa held her breath as she listened to Cid screaming through the town, his voice echoing hollowly and bouncing off in various directions. She craned her neck and chanced a glance at the pilot standing with his back to her, and she immediately felt guilty for hiding like a small child, running away from her problems instead of confronting them. But honestly, she didn't want to see anyone right now. Not even Cloud.

"Tifaaaaaa!"

This time it was another voice drawling, a young and feminine voice that she had found to be too cute. She saw Yuffie's figure leaving the inn, her head raised high and her hands cupped against her mouth. When Tifa gave no response, the younger woman's shoulders slouched while dropping her hands languidly to her side. Beside her, Tifa saw Barret walking around the perimeter of the inn, checking every corner to leave no stones unturned.

"Maybe she went back to the house?" the gunman suggested.

"Fool, I locked the door. There's no way she could get in. She has to be here somewhere!" Cid retorted and took another puff of his cigarette.

Yuffie coughed and rapidly waved the smoke away from her face. Her long green dress and her high heels were preventing her from moving away to escape the suffocating smell of the cigarettes, and so she had no choice but to fight back verbally, "Can you please not smoke that shit in front of me? I don't want cancer, thank you very much!"

"Shut the hell up you little brat. We wouldn't be in this mess if it weren't for you and your sneaky little ways of getting Cloud." Just to spite the ninja, Cid blew another ring of smoke into her face. "This is your fault."

"Both of you stop it! I want to find Tifa as soon as possible. Who knows where she could be right now?"

Tifa thought her heart had momentarily stopped beating when she heard those words uttered with such genuine concern. She could feel the anger and hurt melting from her soul when she spotted a spiky headed man frantically dashing around the outskirts of Shanghai Inn, his Mako blue eyes piercing the darkness as they roved keenly around the area, searching for one person in the midst of the night. She wanted to leap from her hiding spot; she wanted to jump from the crates and straight into his arms, but would they be so accepting? For the Planet's sake, she had just witnessed him kissing Yuffie a few minutes ago. Why the hell would he be so willing to look for her? She should be the last person on his mind.

"Damnit, Tifa…where are YOU?" Cloud hollered again, his voice disappearing with the wind, which only brought his words to deaf ears.

Even though she was out of his range of sight, she could still see his Mako eyes shimmering brighter than any star that was lit in the sky at the moment, or on that day seven years ago. It was so unnaturally beautiful and haunting, the light was almost like a beacon, beckoning her to him, and she was finding it extremely difficult to resist its calling. It was difficult, but not impossible, and in the end she had won when she saw the group heading down the path that led back to Cid's house. They were whispering amongst themselves and even though Tifa couldn't hear what they were saying, she could detect the frustration in their voices as they blamed each other for her disappearance. She wanted to reveal herself right then, feeling responsible for causing their bickering. However, her body just wouldn't obey her heart as every limb in her remained dormant, unwilling to move until the group was completely out of sight. She let out the confined air that had been burning her lungs like raw flesh upon fire. When she heard their voices fading into the distance until there was nothing but the sound of crickets chirping in the night, she stood up from her squatted position. Her head emerged from the surface of the crates as she fluidly balanced herself on the highest summit of the stacked wooden boxes like a graceful bird perched upon a ledge with a longing to flee from its caged confines.

The night was cold, but her heart was colder.

It had been almost an hour since Cloud had left the inn with an uncomfortable weight upon his heart that clenched with a vise grip, tightening around the very core with each passing second. Cid, Barret, and Yuffie had retired into the house, occasionally coming to check on him every few minutes or so. He could hear the three arguing fervently inside with Yuffie's voice being overshadowed by the two men who relentlessly scolded her for her "misbehavior." Cloud let out an aggravated groan and clamped his hands against his ears. He already explained everything to Cid and Barret, but the two refused to buy his story, insisting that Yufffie was coming on to him inappropriately. Even on the front steps of the porch, Cloud could still hear the endless bantering, their voices blending into a strident cacophony that was hurting his ears and head. But more importantly, he was concerned about how he was going to tell Tifa that what she saw was nothing close to what she thought she had seen. It was going to take a lot of convincing, especially with Barret and Cid's unwavering remarks about how the ninja was trying to weasel her way into his heart.

Letting out a disgruntled sigh, Cloud pushed himself off the steps and trotted hastily towards the open street. He couldn't stand the yelling anymore; he only wanted to find Tifa. It was getting late, and even though Rocket Town was a safe place, he was still so very protective of her and wanted her back in the house, and back in his arms. He took a quick glance around the dark streets, unsure of which direction would lead him to Tifa. Just when he was going to randomly select a path, he caught a distant and familiar figure from the corner of his eye. The figure disappeared behind a tree before emerging again, heading into the backyard of Cid's house.

"Tifa…!" Cloud gasped, hurriedly trying to catch up to her quick-paced figure that was moving faster as she edged closer to the house. _She must be trying to head in from the back to avoid us…_

"TIFA! HEY, TIFA!" Cloud yelled when he saw that she was quickly turning around the corner. He quickened his speed and jumped over the picketed fence, knocking over a can of machine oil and a few of Cid's tools in the process. He could already see an image of a fuming Cid cursing and puffing away on his cigarette, but he would worry about that later, possibly morning. He rounded the corner, and was just in time to see the backdoor slam open in his face as a shadowy figure whizzed into the darkness with fluidness akin to black liquid. He caught the door before it closed all the way and dashed through the slightly ajar space, turning again at the stairs and ignoring Yuffie, Barret, and Cid's questioning eyes. Cloud didn't even realize that they had stopped fighting. He fumbled through the unlit hall, crashing into random objects and walls that he didn't bother to detect with his Mako enhanced vision. His eyes were only set on one target and his mind was only set on tracking it.

"T-tifa, wait!" He winced when he heard the door to the bedroom close with a soft click; the simple sound seemed to play over and over again in his head as he stood numbly before the room. And then something inside of him possessed his emotions. His hands unwillingly tightened into two firm fists and the next thing he knew he was pounding soundly on the door like a small abandoned child begging to be let in. "Please let me explain things! What you saw wasn't what you thought, I swear!!"

When no sound was heard from the other side, Cloud continued pounding until he could feel the door frame shake with his fists, oblivious to the hinges that were on the brink of falling. Suddenly, hurried and heavy footfalls were right behind him, the thuds growing more powerful as they made their way up the stairs in frantic distress.

"Hey man! The hell do you think you're doing? You're bringin' my house down!"

Spinning around, Cloud was face to face with the captain who was finishing the last bit of his cigarette. After discarding it haphazardly on the floor he grinded one boot over the stub, snuffing out the remainder of the cigar while his deep blue eyes were narrowed viciously upon his leader. "Hey, I know how to work with airships and rockets, but I don't know how to fix broken hinges on doors."

"S-sorry Cid, but Tifa-" Cloud was about to say more but the stern look from the pilot made him reconsider. Instead, he only pointed to the closed door with a heavy sigh, the weariness evident in his voice. "What should I do, Cid?" he hissed softly, not wanting Tifa to hear the despair in his words.

Cid placed a hand on the younger man's shoulder, sensing his sorrow and frustration just from the tormented look on his face. He gave his tuxedo-clad shoulder a pat before heading towards the staircase, thinking that it was a shame that the night had to end the way it did, especially when he was almost certain that the dinner was going to draw his friend and Tifa closer. "Look kid, let's just all call it a night and get some rest. I'm sure she'll feel better in the morning and you can explain yourself to her then, alright?"

Cloud watched silently as Cid disappeared downstairs, feeling compelled to follow him into the living room since that was where he was going to be sleeping tonight, but at the same time he felt paralyzed in his spot, unable to tear himself away from the locked room that housed an angry and dispirited soul. He stared with longing Mako eyes, praying that Tifa would come to unlock the door at the moment, to beckon him to enter to resolve everything. There was so much for him to explain, so much for her to know, and all the topics he wanted to touch upon didn't necessarily revolve around what happened tonight. He had always wanted to tell her, but could never find the "right" time or the right words, but after tonight's predicament with Yuffie, things became a lot more complicated and exacerbated any courageous attempts he had summoned up to pour his heart and soul out to her.

Cloud walked up to the door again, his mind empty, throat dry, and heart bleeding with aggravation. It was such a terrible combination that left his body frozen again. He brought his hands up to the door, but before he started pounding away for the second time, he stopped himself and allowed his palms to fall limp against the wooden surface, his callous fingers tracing the framework of the door as he tiredly leaned his forehead against the door for a brief moment. His eyelids felt heavy and his mouth was parched from screaming, even thought there was still so much he wanted to say. He waited for a few seconds, trying to detect any sounds or movements in the room, but all he heard was a daunting silence that hung apprehensively in the air.

_She's probably sleeping now…I shouldn't disturb her. Maybe Cid is right. I should wait until morning to explain everything…_

With great reluctance, he pushed himself away from the door and made his way to the stairs, unaware of Yuffie's figure merged within the shadow's embrace. She held her breath as she listened to the footsteps heading down becoming fainter and fainter by the second until the house was completely silent. Feeling certain that there was no one in the vicinity, she slipped out of the dark corner she was hiding in. She had followed Cid up the stairs and hid from view, eavesdropping on the conversation the two men had, patiently waiting for them to wrap things up so she could fix her wrongdoing.

_Poor Tifa.I honestly was not after Cloud. Damn Barret and Cid for thinking that! _Her lovely features disappeared behind a thick scowl. She was sick of being just the stupid brat that everyone pinned their blames on just for the sake of it. "I'll prove to all of you that I'm innocent in this, damnit!" She stalked to Tifa's bedroom with great determined but angry steps, fuming and feeling relieved at the same time, knowing that she'd soon be exonerated from her alleged faults. She opened her palm, revealing a note and a ticket stub with an unnaturally happy looking moogle at the very tip. She slipped them under the door and prayed that the two contents were going to save her ass. If she couldn't count on herself, Cloud, Cid, or Barret to fix the problem, she was certain that Gold Saucer was going to do the trick.

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Author's Notes: I apologize for the major delay. I know it has been months since I've last updated, but I'm really working on it, trust me! There are some other fics I would like to touch upon so updates for Tea-licious will not be as frequent as I would like them to be, and I'm sorry for that. Thanks for being so patient, everyone! As usual, thanks a bunch for reading and please leave me a review, comments, critiques! Until next time!


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